The present invention relates to the art of manually feeding linear stock into a machine for processing such linear stock. More specifically, the present invention relates to the art of feeding long thin pieces of lightweight metal into a pneumatic metal punch press machine.
Traditionally, long thin pieces of lightweight metal have been manually fed into pneumatic punch press machines by the metal punch press machine operator. The operator of the metal punch machine would manually feed successive lengths of the thin lightweight metal into the punch press machine after completion of each successive punch operation. The feeding operation was done relatively quickly because the operator could operate the punch press machine with one hand and manually feed further lengths of stock into the punch press machine with the other hand.
Of course, the traditional process of manually feeding stock into a pneumatic punch press machine was often hazardous since the hand which the operator was using to feed the metal into the punch press machine was often in close proximity to the metal punch press during the press operation. In recognition of such hazard, safety standards have recently been promulgated which require that punch press machines be inoperable while the operator's hand is in close proximity to the metal punch. Accordingly, many manufacturers of metal punch press machines now design such machines to require the operator to push two buttons which are remotely located from the area of operation of the punch press, one button with each hand, in order to initiate the operation of the punch press machine, and in order to prevent the operator from operating the machine with one hand while the other hand is in the area of the operating press.
While such design feature has contributed to the safe operation of such punch press machines, such design feature also introduces additional hand movements into the operation of the punch press machine since the operator's hand must be moved from the vicinity of the punch where the stock is loaded to the remotely located button on the punch press for each successive punch operation. This additional hand motion between each successive operation of the punch press significantly limits the efficiency and speed by which such punch press operations can be performed.
Of course, the efficiency of the punch press operation can be enhanced by providing a fully automatic stock feeder which automatically feeds stock into the punch machine after each successive punch operation. However, such automatic stock feeders are often expensive to purchase and install. Further, the set-up time and change-over time of the automatic stock feeder machine is often substantial. Accordingly, the automatic stock feeder is not well adapted for many small businesses and for short run punch press operations.